


The Shocker

by BrownSugarC



Category: NCIS: New Orleans
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-14 23:55:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 9,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16051208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrownSugarC/pseuds/BrownSugarC
Summary: Tired from the aftermath of King's shooting, Christopher LaSalle impatiently awaits another Friday to end so he can get away from all the drama.  A visitor provides him with some very surprising information.





	1. Blindsided

Come on 5 O’clock.  I want out of this cage Chris LaSalle was thinking.  I am so tired of that Steven Thompson and in spite of what Tammy says I’m not all that sold on Supervisory Agent Hannah Khoury.

“Hello can I help you?”

“Uh, yes.  I was looking for Agent Sonja Percy”

“Well, I’m sorry.  Agent Percy no longer works here.”

“Have we met?”  Chris asks thinking that he looked familiar.

“No.  My name is Jake Roman.” He states as he extends his hand.   “I use to be Percy’s partner at ATF.  I ran into her about a year ago.  I was hoping that I could take her to dinner while I was in town.  My loss again.”

“Say what?”  Chris asked.

“ Nothing big.  I tried to put something together with her when I was here last time but I think that there was another man in the picture.”

This captures LaSalle’s full attention.

“Oh really?  What gave you that idea?” Chris asks inquisitively.

“I overheard her and her roommate talking about some dude.  I’m guessing she worked undercover with him.  Sonja called him ‘country mouse.’  Must have been his ‘code name’.”

“Oh.  What else did she say?” 

“Her roommate was giving her ‘the business’ about getting involved with someone else while she was in love with this other guy.”

“Well, I’m sorry but I need to lock up.  We’ve been working some pretty long hours the past few months.  Have a good evening.”

Love Sonja?  Are you kidding me I think as I walk to my truck?

“Hey Tammy.  It’s me.  I’m just leaving the ‘store’.  Are you up for a drink?  I’m buying!”

“Sure LaSalle.  I can meet you in about 30 minutes.”

Well LaSalle thinks as he drives off.  This should be one interesting conversation. 


	2. A Tangled Mess

“Hey LaSalle you look beat.” Tammy says as Chris walks in the bar.

“No more tire than you do and you took the afternoon off.”

“So did anything exciting happen after I left?”

“Well, yes, but let’s down a couple before we get into that” LaSalle says.“What’s your pleasure tonight Tammy?” 

“How about a Vieux Carré to start with.”

_Nearly two hours later_

“Okay, Christopher.  Out with it.  You look like the cat that swallowed the canary.”

“So tell me Agent Tammy Gregorio.  Did Sonja Percy ever tell you that she was in love with me?  Well, I guess you don’t have to answer that because I see the response on your face.  So I was right.  She did leave because of me.”

“No Christopher not you, her.  This is about Sonja, Chris.  You are trying to confirm if Sonja was in love with you.  I can tell you yes.  Don’t you dare look at me like that.  You knew that she cared for you.  From the little that she told me she told you that she wanted to try and see if there could be something and you turned her away.”

“You broke her heart Chris.  But that’s life and we have to take the good and the bad.  She went away to think and she made a decision and now she’s gone on to a new life.” And I don’t know why you would want to revisit that now.”

“I’m pretty sure that you were one of the few men that she ever really wanted to be with.  You were unattainable.  How would anyone expect her to stay?  I tried to warn Pride but he couldn’t understand.  She had some needs and neither you nor Pride could meet them.”

“To be honest, I think the only one of us who really understood was Triple P.  But I will tell you one thing for sure Chris, it was clear to all of us that you were not going to budge on making any type of a romantic relationship with her. I wasn’t going to press you because it was between the two of you.  You have to live your own life and find your own happiness.  Evidentially Percy wasn’t the woman would/could give it to you.”

“You know some of the story about Ramon.  She met him when she was very vulnerable.  You’ve never been undercover LaSalle.  It’s tough.  You’re alone and you rarely have anyone that you can trust.  She let her guard down with Ramon and missed several signs that he wasn’t who she thought he was or who she hoped he could be. .  Other agents and officers died because of her.  Her own partner was shot and she couldn’t go help him because it would have blown her cover.”

“You know that I was involved with a ‘bad boy’ too.  I got it.  I understood the how and the why of her involvement with him. Once we got that out in the open, there was a mutual support system between the two of us.”

I told you early on that I thought you two had something going on.  Some days I would watch the two of you and it was like you had this invisible thread between the two of you.  You finished each other’s sentences; you did sweeps in unison and even like the same bars.  Even with the Melody and Tucker drama, I could see your connection with her.  Why did you withhold the information from her about the baby?  Answer that to yourself LaSalle.”

“It wasn’t my place to interfere.  I could only encourage her to hang in there but the glitch was you.  I felt sorry for you, shit Chris, I still feel sorry for you.  You should have never let her go.  You should have allowed yourself to be happy.  You could have talked it over with Pride and sat boundaries for the job and then see where it would/could go. You will never find another woman like Sonja Percy Christopher, never.”

“You have moped around here for weeks, now months.  The sadness is in your face, your voice, even how you walk.  I observe women try to flirt with you and you respond like they are green mermaids.  I responded a little differently to her leaving and almost went off the grid.  But that’s how it is when you love someone LaSalle.  We both loved that girl and now she’s gone.”

“What difference would it have been if I had told you?  None.  You would have just felt pressure and perhaps it could have caused a division between the two of us.  I stand by what I did.  I listened to Percy, I encouraged her to try to work it out with you and then I stepped back and watch it unfold.”

“I suspect that is not what you wanted to hear but there is really nothing that I can do. And let me assure you of this.  You will always be a special friend and brother to me

“Well, I don’t want to drink anything else and drive plus I think that the ‘happy’ has gone out of tonight.”

“Look LaSalle” she says as she hugs him. “I’m sorry.  I’ll see you Monday if not before.”

I stayed for a few more and took a bottle home and put my own self to bed.

 


	3. Man Speak

“There you go again.” 

“What?  Are you speaking to me?”

“Yes LaSalle.  You have gone there again.  I haven’t seen that look for a long time.  Guess things have settled down enough and now you are chasing women again”.

“No Triple P.  You’re wrong.  I can’t believe how well you know me.  It’s scary.  No this ain’t about no new thing.” 

“Then what because you haven’t been yourself for a week or more.” 

““Two words  Sonja Percy.”

“Percy?  LaSalle she’s been long gone.  How did you get back to her?”

“I found out some previously unknown information about a month ago.  Remember last year when she was trying to decide about leaving and you told me to let her go find her own bliss?  Well I didn’t have all the information that I needed to try to stop her.”

“And now you do?”

“Well yes, but what can I do now?  She’s gone”

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you bro.  I could only say that since neither one of you are married the door doesn’t have to stay closed.  She’s half way across the country LaSalle.  Don’t even know how that would work for you.”

“Me neither “P” but I can’t get her out of my mind.  I can’t eat and I’m not sleeping right.  I gotta do something.”

“Well, I’m always here LaSalle.”


	4. Creating a Bridge

I’m not sure how much longer I can do this.  I have hardly slept for four days.  How can you mourn someone who is still alive?  I just keep thinking WTH were you thinking LaSalle.  You had more than enough time to figure out what kind of woman Percy was.

I’ve been looking at this phone number for days.  Tammy left her phone on the desk for a minute and I was able to get Percy’s number out of it.  I just keep hearing Triple P’s words ‘you can’t just let her be happy?’  I don’t want to be selfish, but I’m not sure how I am going to be able to get past this.  And if she really did love me at one time, who says that her feelings for me have changed?  I’m just going to do it.

“Hey Percy?  This is Chris LaSalle. “

“Hey, is everything okay?”  Percy asks in a panic.

“Yes things are much better.  King is back on the job but things are anything but normal.  We are all trying to put this new team together and of course are happy that he pulled through.

After a lengthy exchange of information I finally get to the point.

“I’m calling because Tammy’s birthday is coming up. Loretta and I wanted to do something special for her with all that has happened in the last year.  She did not take your departure well and then was kidnapped.  Thank goodness she is a professional because I would have thought that she would have lost it after King was shot.  Anyway, Loretta and I were hoping that you could come out and surprise her.  We thought we would do something on a Friday afternoon and then move to other locations as the evening progresses?  Loretta said that you could stay with her.  I would be happy to pay for your ticket.”

“Hey, Chris, let me check my calendar on Monday and I’ll let you know.”

Well that’s done.  Let me figure out how I’m going to sell this to Ms. Loretta.

 


	5. The Birthday Party

“So where is LaSalle?”

“I’m not sure Tammy.  He texted me that he’s on his way.  Maybe he was held up in the traffic.”

“Gee LaSalle. Hope you have a good explanation for being late to my birthday party.

“Well, I had one more stop to make.  Happy Birthday Tammy” I say as I step aside and reveal Percy’s presence.

“Sonja.  Sonja!”  Tammy exclaims and runs to hug her.

“Hi Tammy.  There was no way that I could miss your special day.”

The afternoon continues and soon everyone has departed to go home or back to their offices. On her way out Tammy corners Chris.

“Thank you Chris.  I love having Sonja here with me again.  I’m impressed that you found such a remarkable way to lure her here.  So do you have plans for the rest of weekend?” 

“No not really.  I’m playing it by ear.  I would like to have dinner with her one on one tonight though.  Can I impose on you and use your condo?”

“How can I help?” 

“Could you ask her to come to your place night and you’ll decide from there?”  

“Sure lover boy. What time?” 

“How about 7.  And Tammy.  Thanks.”

“Come on LaSalle” Percy says “I’ll help you clean up the kitchen.”   

“That’s okay.  I can take care of this.  You go on and get settled in.  Maybe I’ll see you later at King’s bar.” 

“Well I’m meeting up with Tammy first.  I’ll suggest that we get by there.”

“Good seeing you Percy” I say as I give her that bro’ hug.  “Bye now”

“So is she gone?” 

“Yes King.  She left just a few minutes ago.”

“Now everything is in the box in the cooler.  Just warm it up and put the rolls in the oven as I wrote on the card.  You got the right wine, right?”

“Yes, King, I can read”

“Well, I hope you guys enjoy the dinner.”

“I’m sure that we will King and thanks again.”


	6. The Confession

Well, there’s the knock at the door.  That must be Percy I think.

“Hey Percy, come on in”

“I didn’t expect to see you here LaSalle”

“Would you be mad if I admitted that I wanted to have dinner alone with you?” 

“I can’t image why.”

“We were close at one time Percy.  I have missed you.  Tammy wanted to share her birthday surprise and let me spend some one on one time with you as well.  Can I get you something to drink?”

“Sure.  What’s that smell?  Don’t tell me that you cooked.”

“King helped me with some things.  Actually, he cooked it all and I just picked it up.  I hope you like it.  I know that you can be picky.  Looks like she has a Beaujolais which will go good with the crawfish boil.  Here, take this."

“So how are things going for you Percy?”

“It’s so exciting Chris.  I can’t tell you much because most of my missions are classified.  But this job is everything I ever wanted.”

“So does that mean that you don’t miss us?”

“Yeah, I miss NCIS.  I miss the people.”

“And me?”

“And yes, I miss you silly.”

“So, let’s eat before it gets over cooked.”

_After dinner_

“Are you okay Chris?   You hardly touched your food.”

“I’m okay, just a little nervous.”

“Why would you be nervous?”

“Because I have a confession to make.  While I wanted to surprise Tammy for her birthday I also wanted to see you again.  Some information came to me which led me to believe that I made a major mistake in letting you leave because I didn’t have to the nerve to see if we could have something.”

“Triple P and I first talked when he overheard you tell me about your job interview.  He figured out before that what the source of our tension might be.  He was outspoken in telling me that you were entitled to go find your happiness.  I don’t think he understood how I really felt about you.” 

“Shit Percy I don’t even know how I felt about you.  But after you left I found a hole in my heart.  I would sit in the truck and wish you were there.”   The job became a job.  There was no one to make fun of when our local drunk walked in front of the truck.  I’m trying to remember the last time I had a date much less one that I really enjoyed.”

“Gregorio went off on the deep end and I felt guilty because I knew that she was missing you as much if not more than me.  There was nothing that I could do – you were gone and that was that.”

“So why am I here Chris?”

“Because I think I finally came to the same conclusion that you did.”

“And what’s that Chris.”

“Because I loved you too Percy.”

“Oh.”

“This was not something that could be done over the telephone.  I needed to be close to you so that you could see how sincere I was.  I am.  Percy, I just have this ache here in my heart.  I need to sooth it or close the wound forever.

“Wait give me a minute” I say as I get up to turn on some music.”

“Isn’t this Aretha Franklin?  Yes.  After she passed away I saw an article about all the songs that she’s ‘covered’.  I had no idea.  I downloaded these.  Here come dance with me.

“Pretty smooth LaSalle”  I didn’t know that you could dance this good.  There are a lot of things that you don’t know about me Sonja Percy!”

“Sonja?”

“Yes.”

“I really missed you.  I mean really I say as I pull her closer to me.” 

After a few more songs Sonja suggest that we watch a movie.

A movie?”  I say.  “I thought that you would be ready to go out partying.”

“Well we could” Sonja responds “but don’t you think that would be a waste of the money that you paid for my ticket.”

I chuckled as I pull Sonja into my lap as she returned to the sofa.


	7. Heart to Heart

“Sonja.  Sonja! Wake up”

“What?  Oh Chris.”

“We feel asleep.  I hear Tammy’s shower.   We need to get out of here.”

“Well let me at least leave her a note.  I’ll meet you down stairs”

_A few minutes later._

“Okay.  I’m ready for a shower myself.”  Sonja says.

“I’m starved.  I hardly ate all day.  I didn’t know how you would react to my ruse.  So did you make plans for today Percy?” I ask. 

“Well no.  I thought that I would be spending it with Tammy.  Did you have plans for me?”

“Well sort of”

“And?” Sonja asks a little irritated. “Can we go get cleaned up first?”

“Percy.  Where do you want me to drop you off at?”

“I’m staying at Loretta’s.  Why don’t you just pick me up there as well?”

“Oh Chris.”

“Yes?”

“How should I dress?”

“Just casual.  I’m going to wear jeans.”

“I take it that you have a plan?” she asks.

“Yes, but can you just be surprised?”

“Sure.”

“Then I’ll see you about 11.”

“Hi Loretta.” Sonja says as she comes through the front door.

“Hello yourself.  I kept the light on for you.” 

“I’m sorry.  I, we, fell asleep.”

“By that look on your face I take it that you are not talking about Tammy.”

“No Chris and I fell asleep” I say and as I responded I felt the blood rush to my face.

“So he finally told you?” she asks.  “Don’t look at me like that Sonja.  I’ve known for a long time that there were some feelings there.  He’s changed.  Tried to hide it but Dwayne’s shooting affected us all.  He attempts to be happy.  I see him laughing with the rest of the team and then watch as he quietly retreats to himself.  Christopher got touchy even with me.  I saw him watching Rita and Dwayne one day and I could see the envy in his eyes.

“Your leaving took him by surprise.  He’s had a long time to think since you have been gone.  Tammy’s response to your leaving made him feel guilty. You’re a catch Ms. Thing!  Men have a biological clock too. He’s watching it count down.  He knows he made a mistake and certainly feels that he can’t fix it.”

“Woman to woman – you have a lot to say about his ending.  I’m almost old enough to be your mother.  I’ve seen situations like this all my life.  I have friends who have been married since we graduated college shoot, I have two friends who married a month after high school and are still married.  I can only share my life experience. 

“Marriage/partnerships are difficult.  Finding that special someone can be difficult.  I look at you both and see many things that you have in common.  Foremost is that you are both fearless and you love your profession.  Also you are both kind.  My suggestion is to let those two points be a foundation for what you might want.”

“Maybe you might want to consider a re-start on your side of it.  Go upstairs and take a shower and let the pain go down the drain.  You already know what a wonderful person he is.  Get to know him.  I suspect he will be a little more open to you invading his space now.  He was surprised to find out that your feelings for him went that deep.  They always say that absence makes the heart grown stronger.” 

The same goes for you.  While you might not be as ready since this just kind of fell into your reality the past few hours leave the door open if you think that your heart can be open to him.  And Sonja.  Just remember that deployed families maintain their relationships for months, years and sometimes two decades.  Long distance is just a few miles and it doesn’t have to be permanent.”

“Thanks Loretta.” I say  “I’m a little confused right now. I wasn’t expecting this at all.  I have tried very hard to put Christopher LaSalle out of my mind and definitely out of my heart.  I can’t help compare him to the new men that I have met the past few months.  I have gone out with baseball players, accountants, actors, diplomates and even a professional model.  I have a thing about men.  They always think they are superior to me.  I guess because I’m so tall.  But I have a brain and I excel at my profession.  The men I worked with at NCIS seemed to be among the few that accept that.  When I first met Pride, he depended on me to give him accurate information.  He trusted my judgement and allowed me to formulate plans affecting entire operations.”

_Three hours later._

“Hello Ms. Loretta.  It’s good to see you.”

“Its’ good to see you too Christopher.  I haven’t seen a smile like that on your face for over a year.”

“Well, what can I say “I respond as I look quickly down at the floor?

“Hey Chris.  I’m ready” Thank goodness Sonja appears.

We stopped to pick up lunch and found our way to the Louis Armstrong Park.  The afternoon passed quickly as we laughed and talked.  It didn’t take long for the direction of the conversation to turn serious.  It would be untruthful to say that tears only came from Sonja.  

We had not talked since King was shot.  I finally allowed my distress to show while talking with this old friend.  For months I had to be strong.  King’s first mission back with us gave me grave concerned.  I approached him and the primary suspect at the end of a long timed chase.  He didn’t look himself.  I really thought he was going to pass out.  Fear came over me that he might well have gotten shot if I had not arrived at that specific moment.

Sonja finally told me how hurt she was that I had turned her back when she suggested that we might try for something between us.  I kept reminding her that it wasn’t too late to try.  She almost screamed at me why I waited so long.  Then came the dam of tears as she told me how she had tried to erase me from her heart and then had to revisit that hurt again when she realized that she could not.

We left the park and stopped to eat at one of her favorite stops.  Then we went dancing at a couple of our favorite places.  She would never have slowed danced with me in the past but did so that night. I thought she fit just perfectly in my arms.  She kept pulling away to put some distance between us and finally loudly protested that she would just sit down if I persisted to bring her too close.  “I’m not ready for this Chris”.

Sonja got a call from Tammy to make arrangements for Sunday.

We had breakfast with Tammy and then went to find another quiet place to talk.  I wasn’t sure where today was going to end, but Sonja was taking the ‘red eye’ back to D.C.

In the end we did not make a decision except that Sonja would check her calendar and that I would fly out to D.C. when she had a week available.  She did let me kiss her goodbye like a real ‘girlfriend’ at the airport. 

I stood at the window until I could no longer see the aircraft.  I had a long drive out to the house and was able to remind myself that she did not close the door completely.  We talked nearly every day for a week.  One morning I got a ‘hey you’ that I needed to go to the SKIF for a secure call.  There stood Sonja.

“I’m sorry Chris.  I have to go off the radar for a while.  I just wanted you to know that I wasn’t ignoring you.  I look forward to your coming to D.C. when I get back. 

“Tell Tammy I said hello but that’s all you can say. 

“Bye Country Mouse.” 

“Goodbye Sonja and keep your head down” I replied.


	8. When Words Fail

It seemed like an eternity and finally one afternoon there was a text from Sonja.  Tammy and I were on a stakeout when my phone dinged. 

“Well what put that smile on your face” Tammy asked?” 

“It’s Percy with some dates for me fly out to D.C.” I replied

Two weeks later I made my way to D.C.  Sonja couldn’t meet me at the airport so I took an Uber to the address that she gave me.  The Concierge gave me a pass key after I provided my I.D.  The condo was sleek and modern.

I was doing my duty when Chris arrived.  We were awaiting an aircraft carrying the body of an agent.  This was second time that I stood in this hanger and it was no easier than the first.  The hardest part of this was that I knew this man. We had worked together on one of my first missions.  Since he was in active service and was a veteran he was entitled to burial with military honors.  His funeral would be held on Wednesday with his burial at Arlington. Some would find my description of the next thirty minutes as morbid but I found the pomp and circumstances enchanting.

My saving grace through the afternoon was that I knew that Christopher would be waiting for me when I got home.  I had a lot of time to think flying so far away the past few weeks.  I missed the security of home.  In some ways these assignments were just as bad as the time I spent undercover.  My social life was limited.  Unlike the NCIS missions, I did not know the individuals who I had to depend on to keep me safe.  I missed the closeness of Brody, Tammy and LaSalle.  I knew it was bad when I found myself even missing Mr. Motor mouth Sabastian.  I really did love the New Orleans weather in contrast to the cold, ocean breeze snow from the many bodies of water in the northeast.

Chris’s visit to D. C. forced that issue wide open.  No one could ever have told me that I would have allowed him into my bed.  I was ready for him to present a formidable case of why we should be together but I had decided even before he arrived that a long distance relationship was not in the cards. 

But then again, I could never have anticipated Mark’s death in Algeria.  I went to the airfield to meet the aircraft when his body was returned to Andrews Air Force Base.  I saw and heard the pain and anguish in his wife’s face.

My mind wondered to what if that had been me.  Who would have met my body?  Who loved me that much that they would weep at my coffin?

For several minutes I became selfish.  I had only truly loved two men and both had betrayed me.

Then there was Christopher LaSalle.  Why I did not know at the time how much I did or could love him, I did know for sure how many times that he had saved my life.  I knew that he was a kind, funny, smart and walked with the swagger of the finest cowboy I ever read about or saw on the screen.

At the end of the week I looked back to the day of a reception for the leaders of the Senate Budget Committee.  I remember Chris ducking his head when Frank pointedly asked Chris his depth of involvement with me.  I recovered sooner from the shocking questions and attempted to divert the conversation but Chris stopped me cold.

“No Sonja.  If your friend is bold enough to ask, I’ll be bold enough to respond.  Look, I flew 1100 miles to be with Percy.  I love her.  I came out here to persuade her to give me another chance.  We almost lost our boss a few months ago.  His near death finally made me to both confront how I felt about her and how I believe that I can’t live without her.  I want to be with her always.  I want her to bear my children and share my joys and sorrows.

I’m not quite sure who was more stunned – Frank or me.

The reception lasted for about an hour.  Chris and I gave each other awkward glances in the car.  Finally I spoke up. “Well, you had a lot to say back there”

“Yeah, I guess so.  I caught my own self off guard.  It just seemed to come falling out.  Why do you think that I am here Sonja?  I want to explore what we might have.  A year ago you thought that you were in love with me.  I had to come to the same realization.  Do I love you?  Yes.  Am I in love with you?  Probably so.”  At that Sonja grabbed my free hand.

We stopped for dinner.  The restaurant also had a dance floor.  Sonja went up and put money into the jukebox.  The third song was one by Patti LaBelle.  “Christopher this song says everything that I would/could ever say to you.”  I listened intently to Patti’s words.  My thoughts exactly.

I turned to find the wine glasses and a bottle of Sonoma Coast Chardonnay when we came into the condo.  “Here” I said as I handed Christopher the wine bottle and then took his other hand with mine as I led him toward my bedroom.  The night was a memorable one for the both of us.  I can honestly say that I don’t remember ever feeling more wanted.

Thursday was the funeral.  I told Chris that night as we lay in bed how much his support helped me to get through it.  When events like these occur, they can take you to a place that you never want to go.  Will I die on a mission?  I wonder how I got through this mission alive as you fly back to the States.  I made it this time but I have done this and I have done that.  It’s a difficult, challenging life?

The week went by way too fast.  I did my best not to cry as I watched him move down the ramp toward his plane.  I sat in my car weeping trying to get myself together so I could drive safely home.  Weeping at him going.  Weeping that I allowed him to come.  Wishing that he would stay.  Wondering what was ahead for us.  Wondering if I was wise to open my heart this way. Wondering what he really thought and if he was being honest with me about his deep feelings for me.

I managed to get a little food into my stomach and then just crawled into bed and cried myself to sleep. Oh……

 

_Chris_

I think I accomplished what I wanted to.  Sonja knows how I feel about her.  There’s not much more that I can say.  Having given ourselves to each other was a major mile marker.  It was a wonderful week of endearing moments.

At least we have a plan to see each other again.  I have no idea when Sonja will disappear.  I will just have to accept the distance until she can determine what she wants and where she goes from here.

I was sincerely lost in thought and surprise to find the Captain announcing that we were 30 miles from O’Hara.  My connecting flight to ‘Nola was just as smooth as the first leg.  I had barely gotten unpacked when I got a text from Hannah.  So much for a vacation.

Tammy couldn’t wait to pump me for information.  The best that I could tell her was “we’ll see”.   The ball is in Sonja’s court now.

We had come up with a catch phrase that Sonja could say to me to let me know that she was about to go off the grid.  The comment was ‘don’t get trampled in the Mardi Gras parade.’

We talked nearly every night.  One Tuesday night Sonja asked about the upcoming Red Dress Run.  I answered then out of the blue she said “well at least I won’t have to worry about getting trampled in the Mardi Gras parade. “

“Well you just need to go down 7th Avenue” I said.  “Or you can always go over to 5th she replied.”

Good lord.  Five weeks.  I hope that my heart can stand it.

“Well, I better let you go Sonja” not knowing how much time she had to pack.  “I’ll talk to you tomorrow”.  I hung up wondering when ‘tomorrow’ will come.

“Chris.  LaSalle!  Where did you go?” Tammy asked.

“Just thinking” I respond.

“You’ve been thinking like that a lot lately” 

“Just let it go Tammy please.”  She must have sensed the urgency in my voice

Several weeks later I heard my phone ding late one night in the other room.

“You look tired baby.” I say as the screen comes up.   

“Just a little.”  she responds.  “I’m going to try to get a week.  Do you think that you can do the same?”

The next night we are on the screen at home and are able to confirm the dates and the location.  Hannah wanted to give me a hard time until I told her to go look at my leave record.  I had only taken leave twice in the past three years.  One to take Savannah home and then a few months ago to go to D.C. to see Sonja.

“So where can I meet you” Sonja asks. 

“How about the farm?  I need to go down there to check up on momma.”


	9. The Farm

 I have always respected Loretta’s opinion.  I have admired her since the first day that I met her. She was another woman in a nontraditional field where few women work.

She made us tea while I was staying at her house a few months ago and told me a little about her own marriage and how it fell apart.  Her last comment to me that day was a reminder not to close my heart to love.

The Captain put on the fasten seat belt sign and soon made his announcement that the plane was landing

It was not hard to pick out Chris.  He was the one with the biggest smile and the bouquet of yellow roses.  We recovered my weapon and then went on to find his rental.

I have to be honest that I would have rather stayed in a hotel, but felt that I needed to make an overture toward Chris’ family

Chris’ mom’s house was rather quaint.  I’m sure that the wood floors were the originals.  The furniture was well worn and looked out of place with the large plasm TV in the living room.

The smells were wonderful.  Mrs. LaSalle assured me that the pheasant fell into my vegan diet.  There were plenty of vegetables to fill my plate up with as well.  Also on the table were several bowls of watermelon, cantaloupe and honey dew melons.

I offered to help Mrs. LaSalle with the dishes but she shooed us out of the house.

Chris whispered in my ear causing me to go find my suitcase.  He led me to this beautiful spot in the pasture and proceeded to let me know how much he had missed me.  We lay wrapped up in each other’s arms for the longest time.  He had me cracking up when he realized he had lost one of his shoes.  I tripped over it while laughing at his intense search in the near darkness.

Later at the house I walked out of the shower to find Chris lying in the middle of my bed.  “Hey, it’s either here or my room” he says laughing.  “I guess here then” I responded.

I had had a long week so I was more than ready to go to sleep.  I opened my eyes the next morning to see Chris flashing me his million dollar smile.

“Good morning beautiful” Chris says

“I doubt that” I responded.  “I never look beautiful anything first thing in the morning”

Chris went to reach for me “wait, give me a minute” Returning back to my bed, Chris held the sheet back to encourage me to rejoin him.

We could smell breakfast as we came out of the shower.  I took my time getting dressed wanting a few minutes to myself.  When I came out to the kitchen to join Chris, I found the table full of waffles, ham, bacon and fruit.

“So what do you have planned today?”  I asked quietly.

“I thought that we would go out to my father’s ranch and ride horses.” Chris responds.

“Really!” Sonja responded with her big beautiful eyes. “I have never ridden a horse”

“We’ll find a calm pony for you.”

Before we went to the barn, we stopped to have coffee and lemonade with Miss Rose, my father’s widow.  I had to take a deep breath when I drove up seeing Rachel’s car. 

Rachel answered the door.  I happily enjoyed introducing Sonja as my special lady.  No one could have missed the disappointment on Rachel’s face.  I guess she assumed when I had asked Hal to have two horses ready that I meant that she would be the other rider.

Hal had went ahead and left our lunch at the cabin at the top of the mountain.

Sonja was just a size smaller than my sister so the riding gear fit her just fine.  I took care to slow walk the horses up the trail.  The horses got spook for a minute giving me a little concern about what was out there.  Finally I caught sight of a coyote which put me at ease that is was that rather than a ‘cat’. 

The view from the top of the mountain looked like a storybook.  Sonja marveled at the many small animals and the mares and ponies.  Hal had left a box of food and other items for our meal in the small warming cottage that my father had built for Cade and I.

Marie, the cook, had included a cloth table cloth, candles, glass plates and silver wear.  The table looked like a storybook after Sonja got everything sat out.  We made ourselves the desert and laughed and giggled as I tried to get my boots off.  I hadn’t worn them for over a year and only then remembered that Cade had to help get them off then.

Dinner time was approaching.  Sonja got up with the intent of packing up the leftover food and dishes.

“Sonja?”

“Yes.”

“Do you see that box of tooth picks in the basket?” 

“Yes.” 

“Could you bring it here please? Here, sit back down.  Now open it.”

Sonja burst into tears at the contents of the box.  I had found the beautiful emerald cut engagement ring at a jewelry store in New Orleans and knew immediately it was the right one for her.

“So – does that mean that you will marry me Sonja Percy?”

Barely able to get her response out I finally heard her say “Yes Chris, I’ll marry you”.

We managed to find another hour of light before I knew that we had to get back on the trail before it was completely dark.

During the next few days we sat at different places on the grounds and momma’s farm to hash out the details of our future.  I could not find the words to ask Sonja to give up her job so I had to think hard how I could make this work.  It was clear that I needed to be the one to relocate.  The snow and ice were not anything that I wanted to face but I had done some serious reading about marriage when I decided that I was going to ask Sonja to marry me.  There were more than enough jobs like those in the office where I worked.  It would be the agents that would be different.  Certainly I thought the agents at the other NCIS offices were as well trained as we were.   A couple of agents from Gibb’s team had worked with us and did an excellent job fitting into our team and our way of doing things.

I broached the subject.  “So Sonja, if I would agree to move to Washington, would you agree to live on or near a body of water?”

“If you agreed to move here, I would even let you buy a boat.”  She responded.

Well how could I ask for anything more I thought?  I hadn’t even considered a boat.

The very next week Sonja sent me a job announcement.  Evidentially someone on her task force had a co-worker who was going to retire.  While it was a local law enforcement agency, I figured out that reinvestment of my federal retirement payments into an IRA and use of my own municipal years toward the new city’s retirement plan would allow me to reap the same dollar amount at the date of  my mandatory retirement.

I took vacation the last two weeks with the feds allowing me to retain my government health insurance.  The day after we were married, I went onto Sonja’s plan to cover the gap in coverage before my new health insurance plan began.  While I had to stay on it for a year, it cost us less than $100 a month.  We figured it was more than worth it given the danger of my job.


	10. Dearly Beloved

_Christopher_

I must admit that I had an issue with Sonja’s suggestion that my mother walk me down the aisle.  Actually it was only at the rehearsal that I got it.

Every step down the aisle toward the front of room solicited a new remembrance of my life with my mother.  Particularly brought to memory were the kind things that my mother had done as a wife.  Each one made me think of how I would want to do that for my own new wife.

Sonja would not show her surprise to me at the Friday rehearsal.  It was only Saturday when the video of her singing a song of my favorite singer Bonnie Raitt that the tears began to fall in earnest.  Sonja said that she had heard that song when she ran away the first time to think in New Orleans.  The words of the song, ‘ I Can’t Make You Love Me’, she said, match where we seemed to be at the time.  All I could think was thank goodness I came to my senses.

The sun shone beautifully on Saturday.  I don’t know if there was another place in D.C. that could have been more beautiful than the site that Sonja chose for the wedding.

My bride almost took my breath away as I looked and saw her walking down the aisle with her own mother.

It had taken me several days to write my vows.  Actually it was paring them down which was the problem.  Fortunately I was able to get them out “tear free”. We were so happy to be surrounded with so many family and friends.

I have to admit that I was concerned about Cade.  Loretta flew out a day early to help us keep his blood function at the required levels.  Everything went exactly as planned.

_Sonja_

Planning the wedding was one of the happiest moments of my life.  While others might have been indecisive about their dress, the cake and the venue, I knew exactly what I wanted.  I couldn’t believe how the LaSalle name opened doors and provided bargains for the day.  The caterer called LaSalle industries trying to track Chris down.  I still think she was a little put out when she saw this African Queen walk into her shop to for the taste test.

Of course our mothers cried.  The music was perfect.  And then there was my groom.  I thought that Chris had looked dashing when he put that Naval Officer uniform on in a former NCIS mission but it was nothing compared to him being in ‘tails’ as dapper as any southern gentleman.

We didn’t go far for our honeymoon.  We ended up in the Poconos which had history for over the top romantic resorts.  I’m not sure if it really mattered since we hardly left our room.

House buying was another story.  We had to consider the school districts while shopping for a new home.  The homes in our top two choice areas were seldom turned over plus we needed ‘maids quarters’ since we would probably need a nanny for our children.  It took a whole year to find “the house”.  I gave up on the packing the first weekend.  Monday I called a professional moving company.  We laid out the dates for the closing and they came in and packed everything up in the condo and got my stuff out of the storage unit while Sonja and I tried out the mattress that came with our new bedroom furniture.


	11. Papa La Salle

Our first child, Jon Christopher, was born seven years after we were married.  Sonja knew that they would restrict her assignments once she became pregnant.  She kept the pregnancy hidden until I pressed her as I was concerned about both her and the baby.

We made the decision to hire a full-time housekeeper and a night nurse until she went back to work.  Momma came for a month after Sonja went back to work and never left.  Once entrenched in the nursery she wasn’t about to leave.  While she absolutely hated the snow, her love for the baby outweighed the misery of the weather.

JC was barely potty trained when I received a package at the office.  I opened it up to find a tee shirt in my size.  On the front was a picture of JC holding the hand of a faceless little girl.  Layla was born six months later.

I absolutely loved being a father.  It seemed that the children somehow grew some every day with either a new word or ability. 

I marveled at how Sonja returned each time and immersed herself right back into our daily routine.  Not that we had the time to create new friendships but we chose during the early years to stay at home with the children.

Our one constant that we maintained was to make sure that we went out alone the first or second night that she was back home.  Since we never knew when I would be called in on a case, we made sure that we scheduled special alone time sooner than later.

There were several times that I had to make a quick trip to the airport to see her off to a new mission.  Fortunately for me, Tammy had encouraged me to seek out a Navy Family and Friends Support Group.  I was both surprised and thankful for the link with Navy families as their loved ones were deployed worldwide.  They readily accepted me as one of their own understanding that Sonja’s absence from our home mimicked theirs in frequency, duration and danger.

Time quickly passed by.  Jon starting school was a traumatic day for dad.  Three years later the same distress returned when I took Layla to kindergarten.

My home life revolved around homework, sporting events and music lessons.  We hired an Arabic tutor to start Layla with the language even before she started school.  She and her mother spoke it nearly 100 percent when Sonja was in the house.  In later years JC and Sonja spent a lot of time on the gun range together solidifying their relationship.

Family vacations saw us visit nearly every site on Sonja’s and my bucket lists.  The kids really didn’t care where we went as long as they were with mom and dad.  I guess that it would be hard to single out one place but the Cumberland falls were just astonishing.

We went to Disney World for Christmas when Layla was ten.  I think that Sonja had a better time than the children.  We had grown up with the second set of Mouseketeers and had more exposure to the Disney characters.  We had limited the children in their television watching so they were not as familiar with some of the characters but they knew many from their CD movies that we would often rent.  We were fortunate to be able to finance their involvement in music lessons, dance and sports.

High School came along with the debate if one of us should retire.  The bottom line was health insurance.  But there was no doubt in my mind – I wanted my wife home in the United States.

Sonja made it easy by admitting that she was getting tired of missing special events.  JC’s graduation was just a year away.  Sonja missed a key game his junior year where he was not only the high scorer in the game but drilled a last second shot to win the game and advance the team to the play offs.  She also missed the awards banquet that year where he was name most improved player.

She texted me as she was watching JC on line as he played in the first round of the state basketball tourney “that’s it, I’m done.”  No translation was needed.  She pissed her boss off when she put in her federal retirement paperwork two days after her return to CONUS.  What she didn’t know was that I had put some feelers out that got her several responses.  In the end, she accepted an 8 – 5 job with the “District” to investigate welfare fraud cases.

No one in the room could have been more proud than Sonja when JC was name MVP for team the next season.  After carrying the team most of the season, JC was named to the All State tournament team.   

He stunned us all by selecting to go to Iowa State University which was also a Division 1 school.  He told us that he wanted to be an engineer not a professional basketball player.  The university was only 30 minutes away from a major airport in Iowa so one of us was usually able to fly out for the weekend.

Percy was crossing her fingers that Layla would be admitted to Julliard.  An accomplished pianist, she minored in vocal performance hoping to head off to Hollywood.  Her junior year, she returned home in time to play at her former high school’s winter concert.  The uncle of one of the students approached us and inquired about her plans for the future.  He asked her if she wanted to be a ‘star’ or if she wanted to be an excellent piano player.  I had no idea what she would say.  “The piano sir.”

“Well I’ll tell you what Ms. LaSalle, I will fund a visiting performance chair at the DC Public schools for five years if you will fill it.”  Unbeknownst to us, he had just built a performance hall at one of the high schools.  After Layla arrived, he bought a new Steinway which was kept in a climate controlled room.  I about died when I found out how much it cost.

Layla would often stop by for dinner or stay with us a weekend night excited about some well-known singer or musician that she would be accompanying or playing with in the next few days. She spent the first three summers back at school working on her Masters’ Degree.


	12. Love Ever After

I still don’t know how I got shot, but I just figured my time had run out. The bullet hurt like hell.  My wife helped me decide that it was finally time to hang it up.  I was old enough to be the father of some of the new officers and to be honest I never trusted any of them as I did my old NCIS ‘Nola team mates to protect my back.

I took the two week medical leave to fly back to Alabama.  When I showed Percy my two favorite places on momma’s farm she responded “well pick one and let’s build our home there.”  I looked at her stunned and then realized that she was right. Picking all the colors and textures actually brought us to another level of trust.  Once the house was finished, we could see how the other’s contribution and insight made it just a perfect fit.

My first day back on duty, I turned in my retirement papers and then told the therapist that I thought the old man had had it.  That summer Sonja and I visited all the normally cold weather spots enjoying our beautiful country.  We managed to return to the Iowa capital for their State Fair in August that we had seen advertised in the Des Moines airport.  I ate my way from the front gate to animal barns and beyond.  I had no idea that you could fry that kind of food.  Sonja just turned up her nose at everything.  The Butter Cow for some reason impressed her.  The huge steers scared her.  The Grand Champion Bull was taller than she was.

The house was done a few weeks before Thanksgiving.  Momma insisted on cooking but I persuaded her to oversee our cook in preparing the meal.   Secretly I was trying to figure out how to get the recipes out of momma’s hands so we would have them in the future.  Her fellow church ladies finally helped me with that when they decided to do a cookbook that Christmas so she had gotten them all out to pick her favorites to include.  I stopped by her house while she was at Bingo, picked up all the recipes that I wanted, ran to the copy center and returned them before she got back.

I recognized my blessing in having my wife with me well into our seventies.  After my retirement we were able to travel to see friends and families.  Tammy and Merri tried to get to the farm at least once a year.  Triple P was offered a position at NATO.  We visited him a couple of times at Brussels.  From there we took a few days to visit Germany.  Sonja had wanted to visit a concentration camp.  We decided on Dachau which is right outside of Munich.  It was a sad, tearful day for the both us as we first visited the camp and then drove to the rail yard where the prisoners arrived and were then forced to walk nearly 20 miles to the camp.

Back safely in our own bed, we found ourselves once again wrapped up in each other’s arms.  “I love you Butch” Sonja said sweetly.   “Right back at you City Mouse” I replied before drifting off to sleep.


End file.
